Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Golden Yolynn’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Golden Yolynn’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences; golden yellow-colored inflorescences with bronze-colored centers; and natural season flowering in early October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifoliumcultivar Golden Yolynn.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Golden Yolynn’.

The new cultivar is a product of a mutation induction program conductedby the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the program is to createnew garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences withdesirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good gardenperformance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of theChrysanthemum cultivar Glowing Lynn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,038, to X-ray radiation in July, 1998 in Alva, Fla. Following theradiation treatment, the cuttings were rooted and terminal apices wereremoved to promote lateral branch development. After lateral branchesfrom the pinch reached sufficient size, terminal cuttings wereharvested, planted and flowered in a controlled environment in Alva,Fla. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a single flowering plant within this population in January, 1999. Theselection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form,attractive ray floret color and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Alva, Fla. since March, 1999, has shown thatthe unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Golden Yolynn has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light,intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Golden Yolynn’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Golden Yolynn’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.

3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.

4. Decorative-type inflorescences.

5. Golden yellow-colored inflorescences with bronze-colored centers.

6. Natural season flowering in early October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are most similar to plants of the thecultivar Glowing Lynn. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva,Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of thecultivar Glowing Lynn in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days earlier thanplants of the cultivar Glowing Lynn.

2. Ray florets of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Glowing Lynndiffered in color as ray florets of the cultivar Glowing Lynn wereorange-bronze.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Legend, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,404.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Legend in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter and more mounded thanplants of the cultivar Legend.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about three weeks later thanplants of the cultivar Legend.

3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences than plantsof the cultivar Legend.

4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had dark bronzecenters whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Legend did nothave dark bronze centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Golden Yolynn’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of the cultivar ‘Golden Yolynn’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in an outdoornursery in Salinas, Calif., under natural season conditions andpractices which approximate those generally used in commercialgarden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting was planted in a15.25-cm container in late May, 2002. Plants were not pinched, that is,the terminal apex was not removed to enhance branching. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and nightaveraged 13° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages fortypical flowering plants.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar GoldenYolynn.

Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.

Parentage: Induced mutation of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivarGlowing Lynn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,038.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days at 21° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.Inverted triangle with rounded crown. Stems initially upright, thensomewhat outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance tothe plant. Freely branching with lateral branches forming at every node.

Plant height.—About 23.5 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 39 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Internodelength: About 1.4 cm. Aspect: Upright and outwardly spreading. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 146A overlain with 187A.

Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 4.3 cm.Width: About 3.6 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmatelylobed, sinuses divergent. Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent.Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color: Developingand fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Developingand fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Darker than 147B. Venation,upper surface: 147A to 147B. Venation, lower surface: 147B. Petiolelength: About 1.1 cm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiole color, upperand lower surfaces: Close to 147B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with elongatedoblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals abovefoliage, arising from leaf axils. Disk and ray florets developingacropetally on a capitulum. About twelve inflorescences per lateral.

Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants flower inearly October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter:About 5.5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower surface of phyllaries): 147A.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.7 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5cm. Disc diameter: About 2 mm; inconspicious. Receptacle diameter: About5 mm.

Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 1.7 cm. Corolla tubelength: About 2 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Apex: Acute to emarginate.Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Surface: Concave.Orientation: Initially upright, then perpendicular to vertical. Numberof ray florets per inflorescence: About 171 in numerous whorls. Color:When opening, upper surface: Close to 9A overlain with 185A. Whenopening, lower surface: Close to 9C underlain with 185A. Openedinflorescence, upper surface: Close to 9A. Opened inflorescence, lowersurface: Close to 9C.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed. Length: About2.5 mm. Width, apex: About 1.25 mm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Number ofdisc florets per inflorescence: Less than five. Color: Immature: Closeto 154D. Mature: Apex: 9A. Mid-section: Close to 150D. Base: Close to155D.

Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45 to 50° from vertical.Length: First peduncle: About 5.4 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 8 cm.Seventh peduncle: About 10.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 146A slightly overlain with 187A.

Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 52. Length: About 6 mm.Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface:Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 147A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 9A. Pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both ray anddisc florets.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not beenshown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Chrysanthemums.

Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been observedto be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from 0 to morethan 37° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Golden Yolynn’, as illustrated and described.